Alaska Air Group, Inc. announced the election of Pete Shimer to the company's board of directors. Shimer began as an auditor and has since held numerous C-suite positions at international public accounting firm Deloitte, most recently serving as its interim chief executive officer. Shimer retires from Deloitte this month after a 41-year career.
He will fill the Alaska Air Group board seat vacated by Ken Thompson on his retirement after 25 years of service. Shimer's election is effective immediately, and he will serve on the board's Audit and Safety Committees. Shimer earned his bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Washington, where he serves as a board member for the university's Foundation.
He also serves on the board of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Retiring from the board after 25 years of service, Ken Thompson leaves a legacy steeped in Alaska values and going beyond formal board member duties. Thompson was a founding member of the board's Safety Committee after the tragedy of flight 261 and, over his years, served on all but one board committee.
In 2019, Thompson was selected as one of the 100 most influential corporate directors by the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD).
